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9.34k reviews for:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Erik Larson
3.87 AVERAGE
9.34k reviews for:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Erik Larson
3.87 AVERAGE
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
i forgot that nonfiction is cool. also i really liked the juxtaposition between the white city and the black city but they could def have expanded on this more. the holmes/burnham split was cool and it's crazy how many historical figures were related to the fair
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
If you want to learn a lot about the world's first confirmed serial killer, the 1893 Chicago world fair, drama between high society architects, and 19th-century project management, in that order, and think a book which is a hodgepodge of all these things sounds fascinating, look no further.
I'm usually not one for true crime- I prefer my murders fictional- but I gave this one a go since I'm trying to expand my nonfiction horizons. Larson crafts a compelling narrative, making even the driest facts in here interesting, and making the most lurid parts so graphic you feel complicit in the murders. So if you prefer your true crime non-gory and not disturbing and not nightmare fuel, I'd skip this one.
I'm usually not one for true crime- I prefer my murders fictional- but I gave this one a go since I'm trying to expand my nonfiction horizons. Larson crafts a compelling narrative, making even the driest facts in here interesting, and making the most lurid parts so graphic you feel complicit in the murders. So if you prefer your true crime non-gory and not disturbing and not nightmare fuel, I'd skip this one.
informative
mysterious
informative
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
This was very interesting! Learned a lot about the world's fair and a fair bit of Chicago history (turns out there are SO many more interesting graves at Graceland cemetery than I thought!), and I liked the connections made between stuff from back then to structures and places that still exist (and the threads connected to other people like Walt Disney and Frank Lloyd Wright, among others. It felt like fun cameos). I'm always gonna love a history book, that's always going to be my vibe. I deducted a star because sometimes the threads took a little *too* long to come together, like the whole Pendergrast arc, and there were points in the beginning where I was kind of lost in the flurry of names. It did come together though and was quite engaging, would recommend.
I can understand the criticism many of the reviewers have for the book - it does come across, at times, as two separate books smashed together somewhat haphazardly. However, I was fascinated by both, so I didn't mind. I was especially delighted by the details and politics of the Chicago world's fair. I certainly don't agree with anyone who found either account boring, so I would recommend giving it a read for yourself. ;)